"The importance of Social Sciences & Humanities as central in solving global challenges was made even clearer"
"Science is not done in void - it is done by society, so should be done with society"
"Interesting, vibrant and vital"
"It has been humbling to stand & lean on the shoulders of giants. - boundary breaking and inspirational"
"Very insightful; gave me direction what to do & focus on for the next year"
In 2017 AESIS organised the very first international conference on Societal Impact of Social Science, Humanities and Arts (SSHA) in Cardiff, bringing together stakeholders such as research managers, administrators, evaluators, policy makers, funders, entrepreneurs, publishers, NGO’s, media and many more. This became the start of a series of annual conferences where attendees exchanged experiences and good practices in order to catalyse developments in strategies, policies, methods, tools and approaches that are being used to make sure that SSHA, in collaboration with societal stakeholders and other disciplines, can have the most positive and inclusive impact on wellbeing, culture, economy, environment, health, education, and all kinds of challenges that are being faced in the world. Fast forward 7 years later, having journeyed through Copenhagen, Washington, Toronto, Brussels, Stockholm, and Cardiff, we are thrilled to announce its premier in the global south in Cape Town, South Africa!
In the past years, the call to transform interdisciplinary research evidence into accessible, understandable, trusted and useable knowledge for societal stakeholders has grown in importance amidst persisting global challenges such as the pandemic, climate change, poverty, other inequities and more. The Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts (SSHA) disciplines are able to offer much value in addressing these challenges yet are often undervalued; therefore it is necessary to enhance supporting structures, policies and strategies, develop a more robust framework for assessing impact, foster coalitions with parties from business, government, and not-for-profits, and engage with the broader public in order to generate a profound impact of SSHA on society.
UCT Graduate School of Business Conference Centre
Located in V&A Waterfront
9 Portswood Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8002, South Africa
https://www.gsb.uct.ac.za/about-the-gsb/campus-locations/#1325
16-18 October 2024
UCT Graduate School of Business Conference Centre
This conference is organised by the AESIS Network.
Early bird registration closed.
| Description | Price (€) |
|---|---|
| AESIS Members | 585 (ZAR 12,200) |
| Non-AESIS members | 635 (ZAR 13,300) |
| South African AESIS Members | 180 (ZAR 3,400) |
| South African non-AESIS members | 210 (ZAR 4,400) |
| Low/Lower Middle-Income Economies AESIS Members | 125 (ZAR 2,700) |
| Low/Lower Middle-Income Economies non-AESIS members | 140 (ZAR 3,000) |
| Live stream participation fee | 95 (ZAR 1,800) |
Conference dinner on Wednesday at Sevruga Restaurant, 16 June 2024 (€ 40)
Conference dinner on Thursday at Bo-Kaap Kombuis, 17 June 2024 (€ 40)
Pre-sunset Boat Cruise on Wednesday, 16 June 2024 (Free)
Guided Tour Bo Kaap Area on Thursday, 17 June 2024 (Free)
Payment of the participation fee should happen before the conference starts. You will receive an invoice together with the confirmation. Payments have to be made in Euros and are free of all bank and other charges. Personal or company cheques are not accepted. All amounts are excluding VAT, if applicable
If you are unable to attend the conference it is permitted to allow someone else to participate in your stead, if the name of the replacement is communicated before the start of the conference to the organisers.
Cancellation without cost is possible until 5th September 2024. If you cancel between 6th September 2024 and 27th September 2024, we will invoice €95 administration costs. Anytime on or after 28th September 2024, you owe us the full amount.
The event is subject to changes due to regulations imposed to tackle global challenges such as the coronavirus at the time of the conference, so the participants must adhere to specific regulations set if participating in-person, as well as any measures required by the event organisers.
Photographs and/or videos may be taken at the conference. By attending this event, you acknowledge and agree that your likeness maybe included in photos and videos of the event and used by AESIS/partners or press in connection with communications about the conference or other AESIS communications and promotion. If you do not agree to this usage, please send us a written notification at least 3 days before the event.
Due to the highly interactive nature of workshops and roundtables, those sessions are excluded from the live stream option.
Lucila Del Buono - Senior Project Manager
AESIS Network
Raamweg 7
2596 HL Den Haag
+31 (0)70 217 2018
info@aesisnet.com
www.aesisnet.com
Dr Anna Taylor is a research fellow with the University of Cape Town’s African Climate and Development Initiative. Trained in human geography and environmental science, her work focuses on processes of adapting to climate risks, especially in African urban contexts. She engages transdisciplinary approaches, working closely with city governments, civic organisations and technical consultancies to foster diverse and inclusive learning and knowledge co-production to shape decisions and actions affecting the distribution of climate risks and resilience. Dr Taylor’s recent publications relating to transdisciplinarity include:
Taylor, A., 2024. Embedded Researchers. In: Darbellay, F. (ed) Encyclopaedia of Interdisciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Shackleton, S., Taylor, A., Gammage, L., Gillson, L., Sitas, N., Methner, N., Barmand, S., Thorn, J., McClure, A., Cobban, L., Jarre, A. & Odume, O.N., 2023. Fostering transdisciplinary research for equitable and sustainable development pathways across Africa: what changes are needed?, Ecosystems and People, 19:1.
Scott, D. and Taylor, A., 2023. Receptivity to the knowledge of others: building urban climate resilience in southern African cities. In: Ahrens, J., & Halbmayer, E. (Eds.). Climate Change Epistemologies in Southern Africa: Social and Cultural Dimensions. Routledge.
Taylor, A., Pretorius, L., McClure, A., Iipinge, K.N., Mwalukanga, B., Mamombe, R., 2021. Embedded researchers as transdisciplinary boundary spanners strengthening urban climate resilience. Environmental Science & Policy 126, 204–212.
Professor Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhandu-Mudzusi is an established NRF rated researcher. Currently, she is seconded as the Director of the School of Social Sciences: College of Human Sciences. She was the Head of Research and Graduate Studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Her research focuses on HIV and LGBTIQ+, especially in rural communities. She has published 94 articles in peer-reviewed journals, seven chapters, and three books. She has supervised 21 doctoral and 28 masters students to completion. She has sustained her academic excellence record, evidenced by her winning several research-related awards. The following are some of her awards: (i) 2023 Chancellor’s Awards of Excellence in Research (ii) 2022 Champion of Research Capacity Development and Transformation at South African Public Science Research Institutions (NRF Special Recognition Award) (iii) 2019 Chancellor’s Calabash Award (Outstanding Educator): University of South Africa (iv) 2018 Chancellor’s Award of Excellence in Research: University of South Africa. (iv) 2017 National Department of Science and Technology Women in Science Award (Distinguished Women Scientist Award 2017). (v) 2016 Women’s Award for Excellence in Research (Leadership in Research). University of South Africa (vi) Finalist: 2019 Top Women Awards: (Top women in Science Category): Standard Bank Awards.
Professor Chris Brink served as Vice-Chancellor (President) of Newcastle University in the UK 2007-16, as Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University in South Africa 2002-07, and as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) of the University of Wollongong in Australia from 1999-2001. Currently he serves on the University Grants Committee in Hong Kong, where he chaired the implementation of the sector-wide 2020 Research Assessment Exercise.
Chris Brink is known as a champion of the idea of a civic university. He is the author of The Soul of a University: Why excellence is not enough (Bristol University Press, 2018). During his tenure as Vice-Chancellor, Newcastle University twice won the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Award, as well as the Athena SWAN Silver Award for the advancement of gender equality. Newcastle upon Tyne awarded him the Freedom of the City.
As a mathematician Professor Brink held the prestigious A-rating of the National Research Foundation, which ranked him as one of South Africa’s leading scientists. He is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg and a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa.
Dr. David Sarfo Ameyaw, a native of Ghana and USA Citizen, is the President and CEO of the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED), an Africa-based international think and do-tank that combines research and innovation with extensive practical experience in evaluation for development in the Global South. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Legon, and also Valley View University in Accra, Ghana. He is also the Co-Director of the Feed the Future Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN) program, and the Program Director for the East Africa Horticulture Innovation Lab.
He previously chaired the Advisory Board of the Center of Excellence (CEDIL), a project funded with UK aid from the UK government to develop and test innovative approaches to impact evaluation and evidence synthesis in low-income countries. He currently chairs the Advisory Board of IDH Corporate Portfolio Evaluation and is a member of the X-Ed Foundation’s Advisory Board.
Previously, Dr. Ameyaw has served as a Board Member of the Agriculture Transform and Adoption Initiative (ATAI) that aims to generate a rigorous evidence base that helps to carefully identify whether particular approaches are successful in spurring agricultural development. He has also been a Board Member of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk & Resilience (MRR) at University of California, Davis, which develops and tests financial and market innovations that take the most promising agricultural tools for families in developing economies from the lab to the field.
Dr. Ameyaw has served as the Director of Strategy, Monitoring and Evaluation at The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) based in Nairobi, Kenya. He was also a Senior Director for Monitoring and Evaluation at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Washington DC. US. He has been the Director for Monitoring and Evaluation and Acting Director and Food Security Specialist for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Headquarters in Silver Springs, Maryland, US.
David holds Doctorate and master’s degrees from Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, US. He has written and edited many published journals and articles. He launched the Africa Agriculture Status Report in 2011 and edited 5 series of Annual Agriculture Reports until 2016.
Daya Reddy is Professor Emeritus in applied mathematics at the University of Cape Town. He was a founder member in 2003 of AIMS, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, which is now a pan-African network with centres in five African countries. He is actively involved in bodies that work towards strengthening the scientific enterprise and at the science-society-policy nexus. He served terms as President of the Academy of Science of South Africa, as co-chair of the policy arm of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), and as inaugural President of the International Science Council, the largest representative non-governmental scientific organization globally. He also chairs the International Advisory Board of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany. Daya Reddy is a recipient of the Award for Research Distinction of the South African Mathematical Society, the Order of Mapungubwe, awarded by the President of South Africa for distinguished contributions to science, and of the Georg Forster Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
Diana Sanchez Betancourt is a social scientist working as a Chief Researcher at the HSRC, where she leads qualitative and collaborative research work in the DCES research unit. Originally from Colombia, Diana’s academic and professional journey has taken her across various continents, where she has cultivated a rich understanding of diverse disciplines and research approaches. As such she has brought a wealth of international experience and a deep passion for transformative research in collaborative projects and for nurturing engaged research approaches. Her main work and interests are around the implementation of collaborative projects in the fields of urbanization, local governance, social accountability methodologies and south-south comparative research. Within these fields she has been leading trans-disciplinary research and implementing community-based research and action research initiatives in the global south for over a decade.
Her academic background includes a Master's in Social Sciences from the Department of Peace and Conflict at Uppsala University in Sweden, and a Bachelor's in Finances, Government, and International Relations from Universidad Externado in Colombia. She was also an exchange student at the University of Calgary, Canada, and participated in numerous fellowships and short courses through prestigious organisations such as APISA, CLACSO, and ISSC. Before joining the HSRC, Diana worked for the Colombian government monitoring the implementation of collaborative mechanisms aimed at supporting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and populations in conflict zones. She also served as a researcher for the Swedish NGO Diakonia's Regional Office for Southern Africa.
Associate Professor Edmore Marinda is a Research Director for the Impact Assessment unit in the Impact Centre at the Human Science Research Council. He holds a PhD in biostatistics from the University of the Witwatersrand, an MS in Medical Statistics from Newcastle University, Australia, and an MSC in Statistics from the University of Zimbabwe. Edmore has worked in various capacities as a researcher in health, education, social protection, and social development. He has extensive experience in undertaking experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies. His research interests include using routine data and survey data, and applying evaluation methods to evaluate interventions, programs, and policies. He was a senior statistician for a large clinical trial in Zimbabwe (ZVITAMBO project), a senior biostatistics lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Public Health, an evaluation team leader at Mott MacDonald Ltd.
He is a co-principal investigator on several large multi-year projects, including the Critical Zone Africa South and East (CzASE) and the South African National HIV Sero-behaviour Survey (SABSSM V & VI). He was also a co-principal investigator on the South Africa National COVID-19 seroprevalence study. Prof Marinda was part of a large nutritional clinical trial that contributed to informing the UNAIDS/WHO feeding guidelines for HIV-exposed infants and young children in the early 2000s.
Farieda Nazier is an artist, academic, and activist who speaks on how colonial and apartheid histories shape contemporary experiences through memory work. She has curated and participated in numerous local and international exhibitions, and co-edited "Politics of Design: Privilege and Prejudice in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa". Nazier has a Master's in art design and architecture in education from the Glasgow School of Art and has worked with the Apartheid Museum, the Castle of Good Hope and Nirox Foundation.
Frank Zwetsloot is the founder and CEO of ScienceWorks, an intermediary which creates connections between science and market parties. In the past twenty years he founded more than ten organisations to structure the exchange of scientific knowledge, including the European leading organisation on knowledge transfer, ASTP and the network of regional innovation systems, Technopolicy. In 2015 he founded the Network for Advancing and Evaluating Societal Impact of Science (AESIS) and in 2021, the STEPPS society on evidence-based policy. He also created co-innovation Programs between regions such as Shanghai Pudong and the Province of South Holland. At ScienceWorks he created a measurement system for ranking the Dutch universities on societal impact (together with Elsevier Magazine). Furthermore, Frank has published a historical novel about the origins of christianity. He has a degree in both history and law from Leiden University. Since a few years, Frank fully works as a consultant on connecting science and society.
Genevieve Simpson is the acting Head of Research, Analysis and Advice at the National Research Foundation. She led the team that developed the NRF’s Framework to advance the impact of research and is guiding implementation across the organisation. The directorate’s work includes research and analysis of trends in the higher education sector in South Africa, as well as globally, to inform NRF strategies, policies, and advice. She was also part of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Feasibility of making High Education and Training Fee-free in South Africa. In previous roles, she contributed to a national review of higher education in South Africa and has worked and developed policy in the area of university research subsidies.
Georg Russegger is the newly assigned Head of the Open Innovation in Science Center at the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft in Vienna, Austria. His Focus lies on Life Sciences and SSHA, working on open innovation frameworks related to public engagement, diversity and inclusion, societal impact, and knowledge valorization. For ten years he led the Austrian inter-university network of Knowledge Transfer Centers in the field of SSHA. He has a Media Art background and holds a PhD in Media Anthropology. As a post-doctoral researcher, he worked on media-integrated knowledge cultures for several years in Tokyo (Japan). He co-developed a European Joint Masters Programme on Ludic Interfaces supported by the Life Long Learning Framework of the European Commission.
Prof Himla Soodyall is the Executive Officer of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). She was a Research Professor in Human Genetics at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and was Principal Medical Scientist at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) previously. Soodyall has done ground-breaking genetic research into the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa in which her studies have identified some of the oldest DNA found in living people today, adding weight to the theory that modern humans evolved in the area now known as southern Africa. Prof Himla Soodyall is also an international member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). She is a renowned geneticist, science communicator and advocate for respect and equality in all things.
Dr Sooliman was born in Potchefstroom, in South Africa's North West Province, on 07 March 1962.
He attended Sastri College in Durban and matriculated in 1978, going on to study medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Medical School, qualifying as a medical doctor in 1984.
Dr Sooliman commenced private practice in Pietermaritzburg in 1986, but chose to close his flourishing practice in mid-1994, choosing instead to focus his attention on Gift of the Givers Foundation, which he had founded in early August 1992. His establishment of Gift of the Givers Foundation was the consequence of a message Dr Sooliman, then aged 30, received from Sufi Sheikh Muhammed Saffer Effendi al Jerrahi, his spiritual leader in Istanbul, Turkey, who called on him to serve all people of all races, of all religions, of all colours, of all classes, of all political affiliations and of any geographical location... a calling he honoured then and continues to honour today.
His endeavour in this regard has seen Gift of the Givers Foundation emerge as one of the most respected humanitarian organisations in the world and is today the largest disaster response agency of African origin anywhere on the continent.
At Oxentia, Irene leads the impact strategy activities. Her work focuses on three strands:
So far, Irene has been managing projects for clients in the HEI and Government sectors, funded by World Bank, FCDO, the British Council, European Structural Fund, and private foundations. Beyond the UK, these programmes have been delivered in Indonesia, China, South Africa, East-Africa, France, Spain, Paraguay.”
Dr Michael Gastrow is the Director of the Science in Society unit of the Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa, where he leads a team of researchers, science communicators, and policy engagement specialists active at the science/society interface. Dr Gastrow is a Research Associate at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology at the University of Stellenbosch, and a Professor of Practice at the DST/NRF/Newton Fund Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation, the 4th Industrial Revolution and Sustainable Development at the University of Johannesburg. He is a former member of the South African Presidential Advisory Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. His research focus is on innovation systems, skills development, the public understanding of science, and science communication. He passionate about the role of science and technology in society, particularly in the ways they can foster constructive public discourse and inclusive human development.
Dr. Nader Ale Ebrahim is a distinguished Research Visibility and Impact Consultant. He has extensive expertise in enhancing research visibility, impact, and citations. Dr. Nader specializes in bibliometrics, university rankings, and research tools, guiding researchers to maximize their research dissemination and engagement.
He is the creator of the "Research Tools" Box and has conducted numerous webinars and workshops worldwide on topics such as improving research visibility and impact, research tools, and bibliometrics. His teaching materials, available on Figshare, have garnered over 600,000 views, reflecting his influence and reach in the academic community.
Dr. Nader has been invited to speak and conduct workshops by various universities and research centers globally, underscoring his authority and expertise in the field. His work is dedicated to empowering researchers to effectively disseminate their work and achieve greater recognition and impact.
Dr Mlungisi Cele is currently heading the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) of South Africa.
Dr Cele, who has a PhD in Higher Education Studies from the University of the Western Cape and an MPhil in Science and Technology Studies from Stellenbosch University, has many years of experience in science, technology and innovation (STI) and policy development.
He made substantial contributions to the development of the 2023 New Strategic Management Model for STI and the STI Decadal Plan, the South African Foresight Exercise for STI 2030 and the 2020 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the South African System of Innovation. He also played an important role in reviews of the 2002 National Research and Development Strategy, the Ten-Year Innovation Plan (2008-2018) and the 1996 White Paper on Science and Technology.
He represents South Africa at various multilateral STI forums, such as meetings of the G20 Science Advisors, the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy, and STI-related BRICS conferences.
Dr Cele served as a member of the Ministerial High-Level Panel on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and is a member of the Council and Senate of the University of the Witwatersrand.
Before joining the National Advisory Council on Innovation, he worked at the Department of Science and Innovation (formerly Science and Technology) and as a researcher at both the University of Durban-Westville (now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal) and the University of the Western Cape.
Dr. Norah Clarke is an accomplished academic, researcher, and entrepreneurship development expert who currently provides consulting services for private and public sector clients.
She holds a Master’s degree in Tertiary and Adult Education (cum laude) and a doctorate in the Psychology of Education, focused on Resilience. Norah enjoys addressing complex societal issues with an emphasis on women’s economic empowerment, social ecosystems, and optimising learning and development. She pursued a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Engineering Education at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), where she joined the Technology Transfer Office. She was a founding member of Resolution Circle, UJ’s technology commercialisation company. As Group Senior Manager: Training and Collaboration, she established four departments focused on university-industry collaboration and created the technology business incubator at Resolution Circle.
As an entrepreneurial pioneer, Norah co-founded several social enterprises, including a private primary school in Johannesburg and a women’s economic empowerment program. As the founding national Director of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, she played a pivotal role in creating an integrated platform for entrepreneurship development across South Africa's 26 public universities. Norah is frequently invited as a speaker on entrepreneurship, women empowerment, and resilience, having authored academic papers and supervised Master’s and Doctoral studies.
Nelius Boshoff is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. He has a PhD in Science and Technology Studies from the same university, on the topic of knowledge utilisation, and specialises in research uptake and the broader impact of research, research collaboration, and bibliometric analysis with a focus on research in Africa. Examples of past research projects include a study towards developing a monitoring and evaluation framework to benchmark the performance of women in the South African innovation system, bibliometric profiles of research at public sector universities, and scientometric profiles of selected disciplines in South Africa. His most recent work focuses on exploring various aspects of research impact in different contexts, both methodologically and conceptually, including conceptualising the research impact contributions of ECRs. Nelius is also the South African research partner in an international project on the wider societal value of research in four countries, and co-PI on an international project on inequality in forest science, which includes a focus on epistemic diversity.
Dr Ogopoleng Batisi, PhD
PhD: Gerontology and Public Health
Msc: Nutrition Science
Bachelor: Nursing Sciences
National Coordinator for the Healthy and Active Ageing (HAA) program, Botswana. Facilitated the Situational analysis of Ageing and Health of Botswana older people in 2019, development the HAA Strategy to address the needs of the older people, which was launched in 2022. Also facilitated the development of the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Guidelines, launched on the 21st February 2024. Currently developing the Older People Policy and the HAA Strategy implementation framework.
Renee completed a Masters Degree in Social Development, majoring in Conflict, Transformation and Peace studies, and holds both an Honours Degree Psychology and an Honours Degree in Geography at the University of the Western Cape. Her research thesis is entitled: Hector-Kannemeyer R, 2010, Current Manifestations of Trauma by Forced Removals, Interviews with a Former Vlakte Inhabitant. She holds a Diploma in Project Management and is also a certified Executive and Management coach.
Renee has been actively involved in the field of Social Development for the past twenty -five years. She has presented a number of lectures on topics including healing and transformation, restorative justice, restitution, student- driven social impact, social identity and youth development in a South African context.
Renee currently holds the position of Deputy- Director for the Division of Social Impact holding the work on Visual Redress as Restitution and the ethical role of Universities in Community- University partnerships. She is also a PhD candidate in Psychology Department focussing on racial repair.
Renira Narrandes, MA, MSc(OT), MPH is the Knowledge Translation Program Manager at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Canada’s most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children’s health in the country. In her role, Renira teaches knowledge translation (KT) courses and provides hospital-wide KT consultation to clinicians, researchers, and educators.
Prior to joining SickKids, Renira was a KT Specialist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where she coordinated the KT program at two research centers and developed organization-level KT and evaluation strategies.
Renira holds three master’s degrees in journalism, occupational therapy, and public health.
She is also a storyteller and spoken word artist who has performed in North America, Europe, on TV, in podcasts, and at academic conferences and events. Renira runs storytelling workshops for people and organizations specialized in health, science, and KT. She has licensed these workshops to SickKids and is excited to share an abbreviated version with you at the AESIS conference!
If you’ve come to the end and are wondering what KT is, check out Renira’s spoken word poem.
Ricardo Hartley Belmar (he/him) is an Open Science advocate, Metascience enthusiast, and Research Data Manager with a Ph.D. in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology. An alumnus of OpenCon 2017 and the "Essentials 4 Data Support" course by Research Data Netherlands, he is also an early adopter of initiatives like Open Knowledge Maps, Open Science Framework, and OpenAlex. Ricardo advances Open Science through data management and research traceability. Self-trained in Metaresearch, their work is oriented to evaluate and manage research outputs to ensure they are high-quality, responsible, traceable, and impactful.
Over the past year, Ricardo has presented on metadata practices in scholarly communications, aiming to improve research visibility and usability across open platforms.
As an interdisciplinary scholar, Ricardo works across domains, driven by his passion for ensuring Open Science serves diverse communities. Recently, he joined the DataCite Americas Expert Group, contributing to advancing metadata standards globally.
Rick is Professor of Organizational Analysis and co-convenor of the Centre for Innovation Policy Research at Cardiff University. He was formerly the University Dean of Research, Innovation & Enterprise during which time he led the development of SPARK, the world’s first social science park, which opened in March 2022. He is currently the university lead for the Cardiff Capital Region Challenge Fund, a partnership with 10 local authorities using challenge-led innovation to tackle societal challenges and create business opportunities for innovators. His main areas of research expertise are innovation, organization, employment relations, and Japanese management and he has published widely on these. Rick is Special Advisor for Research and Innovation to the President of the Learned Society of Wales and a member of the ESRC’s Strategic Advisory Network. He is a Council member of the Society for the Advancement of Management Studies and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, the British Academy of Management and the Learned Society of Wales.
Prof Mosoetsa is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the HSRC. She assumed this role on 1 February 2023. She holds a Doctorate in Sociology from the University of the Witwatersrand. Prof Mosoetsa was instrumental in establishing and setting up the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) in 2013 and held the position of CEO at the Institute from 2014. She is the author of several publications, including, amongst others, Eating from one pot: dynamics of survival in poor South African households (Wits Press) and co-editor of Labour in the Global South: challenges and alternatives for workers (ILO), and co-editor of Precarious Labor in Global Perspective (Cambridge University Press). She has worked for various organisations, including the Society, Work and Politics Institute (SWOP), and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). Prof Mosoetsa sits on various boards and committees, inter alia, the National Minimum Wage Commission, the University of Venda Council and the Advisory Board for the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies. Prof Mosoetsa is passionate about the humanities and social sciences in South Africa, the continent, and the globe, and their contribution to societies grappling with challenges of poverty and inequalities, economic transformation, and redress.
Dr. Soledad Quiroz Valenzuela is Deputy director of knowledge management at Universidad Central de Chile, holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Michigan State University (USA) and a Masters in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University (USA). In 2021, she was elected Vice-President for Policy of INGSA, while also becoming a Commissioner of the Global Commission of Evidence to Address Societal Challenges. She is also a member of the Expert Committee of the Latin America and the Caribbean Evidence Hub (Hub LAC) and the Committee on Equity in Partnerships in Global Health of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences. She has been a lecturer, researcher and consultant, specializing in open science, science policy, science advice, and science diplomacy.
Trevor Parry-Giles is a Professor in the Department of Communication and the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Research in the College of Arts & Humanities at the University of Maryland. Dr. Parry-Giles’s research and teaching focus on the historical and contemporary relationships between rhetoric, politics, law, and popular culture. The author or editor of four books, Dr. Parry-Giles is a recipient of the Kohrs Campbell Prize in Rhetorical Criticism and the Diamond Anniversary Book Award from the National Communication Association. He is also a recipient of the University of Maryland’s Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award (2019) and was a HuMetricsHSS Community Fellow (sponsored by the HuMetricsHSS Humane Metrics Initiative with support from the Mellon Foundation).
Dr. Parry-Giles is a frequent commentator about contemporary and historical political communication and has appeared on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, the NBC Nightly News, Maryland Public Television, CCTV, and all the network affiliates in Washington, DC. He is quoted often in political news coverage, including in the Washington Post, the New York Times, Politico, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere.
Dr Tshiamo Motshegwa is a computer scientist and an academic in High-Performance Computing and Data Science research. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from City, University of London, UK
He has interest in the science, policy, industry and public interface, and multilateral engagements for advancing open science collaboration. For the past seven years he has served on various Ministerial Committees of the Government of Botswana, Southern African Development Community (SADC) Expert Working Groups, as well as in the Botswana Open Data Open Science (ODOS) Forum.
In addition, he has worked on numerous initiatives that promote regional, continental and global cooperation. He has led national and institutional projects that entrench constructs of the Triple Helix, and University-Industry-Government relations – including through co-creation to strengthen University and national research and innovation ecosystems. He has experience in corporate governance and serves as various Boards, with oversight of company human resource strategies, including in Human Capital Development pertaining to technology development and utilisation.
Professor Vhonani Olive Netshandama has over 15 years of experience as Director of Community Engagement, now called Community Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Inclusive Innovation and Commercialisation at the University of Venda. She is a decolonial Participatory action researcher and action lifelong learner, committed to placing the Indigenous Knowledge Systems learning paradigm in Higher Education transformation discourse. A Department of Science and Technology (DST) Distinguished Woman (Social) Scientist, Certified Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative (ELI) Entrepreneurial Mindset facilitator, MIT Innovation Leadership Boot Camp Alumnus and a creator of collaborative learning spaces. She is an experienced postgraduate supervisor. She is known for her efforts to improve educational outcomes in rural areas, advocating for policies that support access to quality education and health services for marginalized communities. She has been associated with the University of Venda (UNIVEN), where she has played a significant role in advancing Collaborative and Indigenous research methodology, Inclusive innovation and educational initiatives. Professor Netshandama has been a strong advocate for integrating community engagement into higher education. She has vested interest in Social Entrepreneurial learning, Social Impact Investing, Inclusive Open Innovation and benefit sharing principles across disciplinary boundaries. She has worked on projects that bridge the gap between academia and rural communities, focusing on issues such as health, education, Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), and biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Her research interests are diverse, often centred on public health, rural development, social entrepreneurship and community-based interventions. She has published extensively on these topics, contributing to the academic discourse on how universities can play a role in societal transformation, particularly in under-resourced areas. Professor Netshandama has held various leadership positions at the University of Venda, where she has been instrumental in shaping the university’s policies and programs to better serve its community and students.
Prof Vusi Gumede is a Dean for the Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences at the University of Mpumalanga. He has worked for different South African universities and government departments as well as a consultant for various organisations in South Africa and outside South Africa. He has held various fellowships in different countries and is a member of numerous Editorial Boards and other institutions/committees/councils. He is widely published, including 19 books and numerous journal articles & book chapters. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Economics, Public Policy & Leadership.
Wilfred Mijnhardt holds the position of Policy Director General at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM). He serves as an Honorary Professor at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University (EBS-HWU). With an extensive career spanning over 25 years, Mr. Mijnhardt has garnered substantial experience in the field of institutional development. His professional journey is driven by a profound passion for universities, business schools, responsible research and education, excellence, and impact. In his current role at RSM, Mr. Mijnhardt dedicates his efforts toward spearheading the strategic transformation of business schools and universities, fostering an impact-driven mindset within these institutions. In his current role, his energy is focused on the strategic transformation of business schools and universities towards an impact-driven mindset. On an international scale, Mr. Mijnhardt actively contributes his expertise to various esteemed networks, including AACSB, EFMD, RRBM, UNPRME, CABS, and EUA. His involvement in these organizations underscores his commitment to advancing the business education sector and promoting best practices across diverse institutional settings.
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